Illuminated sign.



PATENTED' APR. 9, 1907,

I H. RUGER. ILLUMINATED SIGN.

APPLIUATIONI'ILED JULY 28, 1906.

' INVENTOR fl WITNESSES:

1- 1 Mania/L A) AT ORNEYb UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ILLUIVIINATED SIGN- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 9, 1907.

Application filed my 28, 1906. Serial No. 328,220.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, HUeo RUGER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, of the city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in illuminated signs, and particularly to that class of illuminated signs adapted to be employed on railroad-cars and to be revolved to indicate different routes, as may be desired.

The main objects of my invention are to simplify and cheapen the construction of signs of this description, to provide for the ready adjustment of the rotatable member, and to so construct and arrange the parts that the rotatable member may be quickly removed when desired and another one placed in position.

My invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combination of parts, such as will be hereinafter pointed out; and in order that my invention may be fully understood I will describe in detail a device embodying my invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating the same, and will then point out the novel fea tures in claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in central longitudinal section through an illuminated sign constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in transverse section therethrough. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the rotatable member detached from the stationary part supporting it. Fig. 4 is a detail view, in transverse section, on the line 00 0c of Fig. 1.

Referring to the parts by their reference characters, 5 designates the revoluble member, and 6 stationary brackets in which the same is mounted. The brackets 6 6 are secured in position wherever it may be desired, such as to a car-roof 7 or elsewhere. The revoluble member 5 comprises a framework including end heads 8 and longitudinal strips 9 and a central supporting-shaft 10. Trans lucent panels 11, such as of ground-glass, are supported by the framework, and upon these panels appear the various legends, as shown in Fig. 3. The shaft 10 is a hollow one and is preferably composed of pipe-sec tions and fittings. The part between the two heads 8 8 comprises two lengths of pipe 12 12, connected by a cross 13 at the center.

At their ends the lengths of pipe are supported by brackets 14, formed as a part of the framework of the member 5. At one end a socket 15 is secured to one of the pipe lengths 12, said socket extending beyond the end head 8, said socket provided with an extension 16, which is preferably rectangular in cross-section. This extension 16 forms one of the trunnions by which the member 5 is supported, said trunnion fitting in a housing 17, formed as a part of the right-hand bracket 6. A leather or other pad 18 may be provided for the trunnion to rest upon in order to absorb vibration. The housing 17 is preferably of such a width as to prevent the member 5 from turning when once it is adjusted in position until it is lifted clear thereof, which it may be for the purpose of such adjustment. Thus, While the device may be quickly adjusted, when once it is set in the desired position it cannot accidentally move or be moved out of such position. At the other end of the member 5 the pipe length 12 of the shaft 10 hassecured thereto a socket 19, which extends beyond the head 8 at that end, said socket being provided with a further extension, which carries two annular contact-strips 20 21.. These contact-strips 20 21 rest upon stationary brushes 22 23, supported in the bracket 6 at that end of the device. Hence the socket 19 and contact members 20 21, carried thereby, form the second trunnion for supporting the member 5. The cross 13 in addition to being secured to the two pipe lengths 12 12, also forms a support for two elbows 24 24, said elbows in turn supporting electric sockets 25 25, in which incandescent-electrio-light bulbs 26 26 are suitably inserted. I/Vires connected with the sockets 25 25 pass through the elbows 24 and cross 13 into the left-hand pipe length 12, thence through the socket 19 to the two contact members 20 21.

The brushes 20 22 are connected by suitable wires which pass up through the bracket 6 and may be connected with any suitable source of electric supply. By this it will be seen that if current be supplied to the leadingin wires, and hence to the brushes 22 23, such current will pass freely to the incandescent lights 26 26 within the member 5, and by reason of the circular contact-pieces 2O 21 the current will be supplied in whatever position the member 5 may be turned. In order to keep the contact-pieces 2O 21 in firm contact with the brushes 22 23, I have provided a spring-pressed member 27, pivoted to the bracket at 28, such member provided with an insulating-strip 29, so as to prevent short-circuiting. A spring supplies the necessary yielding pressure to the member 27. Suitable insulating material is provided as a lining to the housing of the bracket 6, as will be well understood.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the sign may be quickly and readily adjusted to any position by merely raising the right-hand end and turning the sign to the position required. The right-hand end of the member 5 being dropped into place again electrical connections will be assured, and the member 5 will be held firmly against accidental rotation. To remove the revoluble member 5 bodily, it is only necessary to lift the trunnion 16 at the right-hand end clear of the housing 17 and then to withdraw the trunnion at the left-hand end from its socket. Another sign may immediately be put into place by merely reversing the foregoing movements, so that any sign may be removed and another sign replaced inbut a few moments. This is important, as a sign of this character is necessarily limited to the display of but a few routes and the same car is often despatched from the carba'rns upon many difierent routes. Thus by my invention it is only necessary to keep a stock of the members 5 having the proper routesthereon in order to provide for the proper display upon any car having the requisite supporting-brackets, the required change being made almost immediately and without the employ ment of any tools. It will also be seen that the construction is an extremely simple one,

comprising but few parts, and those inexpensive in themselves and easy to assemble. Further, there are no complicated working parts, so that there is practically no possibility of the device getting out of order.

YVhat I claim is In an illuminated sign, the combination with a rotatable member comprising a framework, translucent panels, a support for electric-lighting means within the said panels, and extending trunnions, one of which is provided with circular contact-pieces in electrical connection with said electriclighting means, of supporting-brackets for said rotary member, one of said brackets having brushes for engaging the said contact-pieces, and a spring-pressed bearing member pressing the said contact-pieces against said brushes, the other of said brackets having a support for the trunnion at that end and an open portion permitting said trunnion to be removed freely therethrough in a direction transverse the direction of its rotation.

HUGO RUGER.

WVitnesses:

D. HOWARD HAYWOOD, LYMAN S. ANDREWS, Jr. 

